Flights from Italy to Croatia

Before the arrival of Ryanair to Zadar in 2007, cheap flights to Italian airports such as Venice and Trieste followed by a long bus journey to a final destination in Croatia were the most cost-effective (and often quickest) ways of getting from the UK to Croatia.

I fondly recall the joys of a flight from London to Trieste, after which a two-hour bus ride brought me to Rijeka. After that, a short 11-hour overnight bus to Split, and then a wait for the 2-hour ferry to Stari Grad. And then the bus to Jelsa and I was home. Ah, the joys!

Thankfully, those days are long gone, and Split today has more than 100 destinations connecting to it, for example. Flights to Italy remain an interest option, however, especially for people visiting Istria.

But the flight scene from Italy to Croatia has also improved immensely in recent years, with even the island of Losinj connected directly with Venice. Here is an overview of the flight options from Italy:

Flights from Italy to Split

Croatia Airlines flies daily from Rome to Split.

Flights from Italy to Dubrovnik

Vueling Airlines – Rome, Thursdays, Sundays 23.12.-24.03.

Flights from Italy to Zagreb

Croatia Airlines – Rome via Split, every day from 28.10.2018 to 23.12.2018.

Flights from Italy to Losinj

Train from Venice to Zagreb

I fondly remember a 7-hour train journey to Venice from Zagreb many years ago. Arriving in that gorgeous city and leaving the train station to the splendour of the Grand Canal was an unforgettable experience.

Sadly, it seems that the service has been discontinued, and the most relevant transfer by train these days is from Zagreb to Trieste, via Ljubljana, with a bus-train combination.

In cooperation with HŽ Putnički prijevoz, SŽ Putnički promet and Arriva Group, a new offer has been designed for the route Croatia – Slovenia – Italy. You can travel from Zagreb to Ljubljana by train and from Ljubljana to Trieste by bus. Rail tickets are valid on the bus.

In Ljubljana, the bus will be waiting for you at stop no. 28 in front of the railway station. In Trieste, the bus will be stopping in front of Trieste Centrale station. From there passengers can make connection to Venice, Milan, Rome and other destinations.

Children aged 6 to 12 pay half price. Children under the age of 6 travel free.

From Italy to Croatia By Bus

Northern Italy is well-connected with northern and western Croatia. This is especially true for towns in Istria and Venice. There are regular, year-round bus lines connecting Istria with Venezia. During the whole year, you can travel between Venezia and Pula, while during the tourist season, it is possible to travel to Croatia from Mestre and Trieste as well. Some of the towns in Istria connected with Italy by bus are: Buzet, Pazin, Rovinj, Pula and Medulin. There are also several bus connections to Zagreb.

Driving from Italy through Slovenia to Croatia

Since Italy and Croatia do not share a land border, it is necessary to go through Slovenia. The main border crossing used by people travelling from Italy via Slovenia to Croatia are Kaštel and Plovanija in Istria County, Rupa and Pasjak in Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, and Bregana near Zagreb, for traveller going to the Zagreb region and eastern Croatia. If you plan to use highways in Slovenia and Croatia, it will be necessary to pay the toll.

The cost of the Slovenian vignette (cheapest option) is 15 euro for 7 days. It is likely you will enter Croatia via Istria – learn more about the Istrian motorway network.

Private transfers between Italy and Croatia

If you are looking for a private transfer between Italy and Croatia, please contact us on [email protected] Subject Italy Transfer.

Ferries to Croatia from Italy – Bari to Dubrovnik

A popular connection from southern Italy to Croatia is the Jadrolinija ferry from Bari to Dubrovnik, which runs from March to late November. The 2019 schedule has not yet been announced, but here is the 2018 schedule to give you an idea. We will update the schedule once it is announced.

Stari Grad (Hvar) and Split to Ancona by Ferry

Jadrolinija also maintains a year-round connection between Ancona and Split. In the summer months, Stari Grad on Hvar is also included. You can see the 2018 schedule here, which will be updated shortly.

SNAV has already announced its 2019 car ferry schedule from Ancona to Split. SNAV has also run a hydrofoil service from Pescara to Stari Grad on Hvar in past peak seasons. We will update this section with new announcements as they happen.

Ancona to Zadar with Jadrolinija

Jadrolinija also maintains a direct car ferry service from Ancona to Zadar from early June until later September. The 2019 schedule is expected to be similar to the last year – here is the 2018 schedule.

Venice to Istria: Umag, Pula, Porec and Rovinj

There are some great catamaran connections between Venice and Istria in the summer season, and these allow tourists in Italy to get a taste of Istria. The journey in the opposite direction, of course, is a nice additional day trip for tourists relaxing in Italy. It is nice to have interesting neighbours! For more information about tickets to Venice from Umag, Pula, Porec and Rovinj, visit the Istrian Sun website.

Pesaro to Losinj, Rab, Novalja, Rovinj and Zadar

While Venice might be the most famous Italian destination in the region, it is not the only one. Pesaro is also an important connecting point for tourism between Croatian and Italy.